Wings of Marie - First Person Horror Game Level
3D Art Workshop
What I Learnt
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3D modelling was something I had absolutely no prior experience in before this project. However, throughout the duration of this workshop, I managed to grasp the basics well enough that now I can create 3D models of basic objects without much effort or time.
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I also learnt a lot about the lighting process that goes behind a 3D level. Especially when making a horror game, the lighting had to be just enough to allow the player navigate through the level while obscuring his visibility to a limited extent. I learnt a lot about optimizing in-engine lighting.
What went wrong
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The initial judgement of the asset list requirement for the level fell rather short as even with all the assets put in, the level felt too empty. Therefore, we had to create more props at a later stage in order to make the level feel interesting enough to look at.
What went right
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I had some prior experience of level designing in Unreal Engine 4 so being familiar with the interface helped me speed up the process.
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I managed to get into basic 3D modelling well enough to make multiple props as well as design the level to its entirety well within the deadline.
Post Mortem
Level Map
This level was created for a first person survival horror game in mind. The level is linear but has some unique elements that are intended to make him question his progress. The rooms and walls behind him warp and change when the player is turned away to invoke the feeling of jamais vu.
Level Summary
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Creepy Atmosphere
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A mix of modern and victorian architecture
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Claustrophobic Environment
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Role: 3D artist, Level Designer
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Tools: Unreal Engine 4, 3DS Max 2015
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Development Time: 40 Hours
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Game Type: First PErson Survival Horror
Level Intentions
Project Overview
Development Information
Overview Map
Level Breakdown
Section 1
This section consists of the player spawn and the first corridor of the game. It is fairly simple to navigate as the player has to move forward, left and right to reach the first 'clone room'.
There is also a trigger in the middle of the corridor. Initially, when the player spawns, the room immediately above the spawn room will have its door open towards the corridor (The door opening is right at the trigger point) This door will slam shut as soon as the player enters the trigger zone.
[Note: Since this trigger zone does not have a specific direction arrow, it can be triggered no matter what direction the player is facing.]
This section consists of the 3 rooms that the player has to go through. This is the part where the level is supposed to warp around the player. These rooms are identical to each other in terms of assets present. But in each room the asset placement is different. In the first room, the everything will be kept cleanly and aesthetically. In the second room, things will be tilted in other directions, or fallen on the ground.The third room will look like everything in it has been thrown around.
The triggers at the doorways of each rooms trigger these level warps. Each time the player enters one of these, facing the direction of the arrow, the room behind him disappears and the room he is in gets connected to corridor 1. Therefore, by the time the player is in the third room, the previous two rooms will have disappeared.
Section 2
This section consists of the 2nd and 3rd corridors.
While the player moves on the 2nd corridor and is facing forwards, the entire level behind him is supposed to move behind the player making the corridor get shorter with each step. The corridor is also designed to get narrower towards the end. This design is intended to induce a feeling of claustrophobia within the player.
By the time the player reaches the third corridor, the level will have warped enough to have doorway 2 at the end of the 3rd corridor be connected to doorway 1 at the very beginning of the level allowing the player to loop back again.